About

RRPI is the brain child of Energy Management Engineering experience: United Nations Technical Internship – Twin Cities for the UN Global Warming Study and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives’ (ICLEI) 14 Municipalities Urban CO2 Reduction Project conducted through the Center for Energy and the Urban Environment (CEUE) presently CEE. Seventy-five local governments participate in the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign sponsored by the ICLEI.

Our founder started his career in 1990 from the University of Minnesota’s mechanical engineering (environmental division) as an environmental engineering intern with in the Energy Engineering department of Land ‘O’ Lakes Corporation, Arden Hills Mn. (LOL) There he initially gained energy efficiency experience and in agricultural and industrial facilities through many states in the Mid-West of the United States.

At LOL his team of three from the energy engineering department was awarded MN state and National energy conservation awards by Governor Perpich of Minnesota and President George. H. W Bush.

Forging strategic technical, academic as well as policy alliances and partnerships in the EERE industry for the scientific promotion of efficient and effective conservation of energy assets and the deployment of efficient renewable energy systems; the Renewables Research and Policy Institute RRPI enables energy research and education through intensive technical training and practical field experience.

1. Building Air and energy tightness (Thermal Envelope) and Construction Quality (Building Mechanical Envelope)
2. Combined and Separate Values of Air Leakage and Designed Vents Exhaust
3. How Much Energy is lost due to this the Air Leakage?
4. How much additional Mechanical Ventilation should supplement the Weatherization Project

ASHRAE Design Standards are utilized by RRPI in determining adequate ventilation for various types of facilities

A key component of RRPI is training and development for RRPI and industry wide intelligence. To date we have provided numerous frequently free trainings and speaking engagements within the community. The intention is to continue this tradition albeit; we will currently be involved in the massive Community Table Association(CTA) and the Community Table Cooperative’s development. RRPI will concentrate on certification offerings within the coop system but continue to provide EERE training for the general Minnesota populace.

Agriculture represents 10 – 15 % of all US energy usage. Urban agriculture, especially greenhouses, hydroponics or aquaponics has a higher energy density utility (Kw/sq ft) of heat and power albeit they are found to be conservative on water and soil utility.

To strengthen RRPI’s knowledge provision within this innovative insertion in the Urban Agriculture initiative RRPI has designed a pilot for 100% digital, project based instruction in a facilitated environment. The approach to learning acquisition will be based on a research methodology. i.e. RRPI will through a collaborative effort instill a research based methodology to learning that eventually end in an actual field project experiences. This is an innovative forward looking method of learning that will expedite the learning process since it inherently inculcates the cooperative method of information dissemination and the traditional methodologies for indigenous communities to communicate information in a cross-generational manner.

The near term goal of this pilot is to develop an Agriculture and Renewable Energy School in North Minneapolis. RRPI, Minnesota Department of Commerce -Department of Energy Resources (DER), Praxis Market Place, Cut Foods International, The Institute of Agriculture Trade and Policy (IATP), The U of MN, USDA , Mn Dept of Agriculture, Xcel Energy, MPCA , the Mn Aquaponics and Renewable Energy Agricultural Cooperative (MAREAC) and a host of other stake holders will be channeled for collaboration in the school project which represents the second and final phase of this community project
The developmental phase of this project should be completed early Fall 2011 with the pilot expected to utilise the RET Screen International digital projects training program . An inaugural RETScreen Annual Conference & Training Institute will be attended by RRPI trainers/engineers in Ontario Canada for 3 days from June 22nd 2011 to prepare to transition to training facilitators. This event will bring together RETScreen International’s many users and stakeholders from across the globe to showcase the latest developments in the RETScreen software, hear from RETScreen users and partners, obtain advanced training on the various RETScreen modules, and facilitate networking within the 290,000+ RETScreen user community.

This training coupled with the pilot will serve as an assessment of the RET Screens capability to be adapted to the unique digital research and projects environment desired to attain the goals of the ultimate AG/RE school project.

The ROI for this training event for facilitators in an increased training and R & D capacity towards projects